While dozens of bean plants exist, in general green beans are picked fresh while the pods and seeds are still tender. Fresh-shell beans are picked for seed tenderness and dried beans are harvested after the inner seeds dry. Green beans are low in calories and carbohydrates and high in vitamins, while shell beans boast complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, B vitamins and several minerals.
Green Beans
Green bean varieties include many that aren't actually green, such as purple and yellow wax beans. Italian flat and the classic green "snap" bean also fall into the green bean category. According to the nonprofit nutrition website World's Healthiest Foods, a serving of green beans contains less than 1 g fat and 44 calories per serving. At the same time, they provide at least 10 percent of your recommended daily value, RDA, of dietary fiber, vitamins A, C and K, as well as folate, manganese and potassium. Serve cooked green beans hot or cold, as a side dish, in salads or in casseroles.
Shell Beans
The shell bean family includes dried beans such as kidney bean, navy beans, garbanzo beans, black beans and black-eyed peas, as well as fresh-shell beans such as lima and fava beans. For people strictly cutting calories, fat and carbohydrates, shell beans may not be as strong a choice as fresh beans. Garbanzo beans, for example, contain 269 calories, 45 g carbs and 4 g fat. But shell beans offer several nutrients in exchange for their slightly higher calorie and carb count. As a group, shell beans offer an average of at least 10 percent RDA of protein, complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, iron, several B vitamins, molybdenum, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sodium and zinc.
Flour
Some shell beans are suitable for use as flour once they are dried and ground. They make especially good choices for people with gluten or wheat allergies. Fava and soy bean flours, along with chickpea flour made from garbanzo beans, provide dietary fiber and protein without adding gluten, according to the University of Colorado.
Sprouts
Virtually any dried bean may be sprouted, providing vegetables for either fresh or cooked use. Look for bean sprouts at the supermarket and health food stores, or sprout your own at home using a kit or a clean glass jar. Bean sprouts are closer to green beans than shell beans by nature, being lower in calories and carbohydrates but also providing less protein. Depending on the variety, they contribute several vitamins and minerals to your diet. Mung beans, for example, are rich in vitamin C, according to the University of Florida. Among the beans suitable for sprouting are mung, kidney, navy, pintos and soybeans.
Flowers
Some pole-type beans, especially scarlet runner beans, produce edible flowers suitable for garnishing green and fruit salads. While not packed with nutrition, the flowers do provide non-fat, non-caloric crunch and color to meals. Check with your state's extension service to determine if your bean plant's flowers are edible. A few bean plant flowers, such as those on the castor bean and Cherokee bean plants, are poisonous.
Additional Benefits
Beans are famous for nourishing your garden as well as your body. Grow bean plants anywhere in which you wish to boost your soil's nitrogen content. The famous Native American "three sisters" companion planting arrangement relied on pole beans to fertilize its corn and squash companions. Bean plant flowers also lure pollinating insects into the garden.
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